Taking Orders
My answer
is “don’t!” I stopped taking orders when I turned 50. It was a present to
myself. There was always a compromise that I was asked to make and I put off
doing the order because I never really wanted to do it anyways so my attempt was half
hearted and the finished product was less than it deserved to be. Then there
was the kiln that sensed my lack of commitment to the order and it would
deliver a crack, a booger, a bad firing. Always there was something. One plate
meant making 3 just to be sure. One cup for a man with a big nose meant making
2.
My long
distance friend Vicki Hamilton made a comment on my blog
“Makes me
wish I had you and Mac as mentors when I was very young and the path(with
obstacles) was still in front of me. Here I am 75 years old and taking orders
for berry bowls. “
Dear Vicki:
My Aunt Cavvy worked until she was 94 so you have a good solid 20 years ahead
of you. You don’t need me as a mentor. You need to mentor yourself. You are a skilled maker. Can you afford to
say “No”? If so here is the road(with
obstacles) I set you out on. Make only the pots you want to make for the next 20 years! Now you are wondering what pots they
are. For me they are the ones I would
buy.
Here is my
philosophy on teaching the very best of my students. Anyone can lead a horse to
water but if you can get a horse to try to float on it’s back you really have
done something.
I think this is what happens when you say” no “
to what the
market demands and make what is in your heart. It’s damn near impossible unless
you have independent means. I’m just wrapping up the last of my slab plates
that I would never buy but they ain’t bad. Sometimes we have down days where
doing something mindless is good for us. I do these on those days. I just don’t
want to be creative that day but I know I need to work and get something made.
It is a problem if that persists into becoming all you do with your career.
Life always
delivers the fresh energy you need to change into what you must become.- Rob
Breszney.
So here is
another obstacle for you Vicki- make me a killer berry bowl that I would want
to buy.
I just gave you an order. Here is your answer to me “ That’s a very good idea, Tony but I don’t want to do it!”
